If you look around at several different industrial facilities or job locations, what is the one thing you will likely find at each of them? The answer is a forklift of some type, and you will probably see more than one. Like other equipment or machinery, forklifts can indeed be quite dangerous. A couple of the factors that make them dangerous include defective parts and poor or no training.
Before going further, you might be interested in knowing that forklifts come in several sizes and shapes for work done in an industrial setting. Most people are familiar with the smaller ones you might see loading or offloading pallets at a retail store. Examples of other forklifts include piggyback lifts, aerial or scissor lifts, side loaders and stand-up lifts.
There are several hazards associated with these forklift types and they include:
- Forklift loads falling onto workers
- Driving off of a loading dock -Being struck by a forklift
- Lift falling off semi trailers
- Lift falling off elevated pallets
- Lift falling in between a semi trailer and a loading dock
It is also important to reemphasize that forklifts containing defective parts can also contribute to the risk of industrial accidents. Fortunately, employers can take several steps to ensure equipment like forklifts are as safe as possible. The most important of these steps is proper training. Additionally, an accurate assessment of the job location and conditions can also reduce industrial accidents involving forklifts.
If you have experienced a forklift accident resulting in bodily injuries in the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, area, speaking with an attorney can help you uncover who or what may have caused the accident. An attorney can also investigate the circumstances of the accident to determine if you have grounds to file a lawsuit.
Source: OSHA.gov, “Powered Industrial Trucks – Forklifts,” accessed June 17, 2015